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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Cotton Production and Processing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #366642
Research Project: Enhancing the Profitability and Sustainability of Upland Cotton, Cottonseed, and Agricultural Byproducts through Improvements in Pre- and Post-Harvest Processing

Location: Cotton Production and Processing Research

Title: Embedded micro-controller software for cotton harvester yield calibration weighing system

Author
item Pelletier, Mathew
item Wanjura, John
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: Software and User Manual Public Release
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2019
Publication Date: 8/1/2019
Citation: Pelletier, M.G., Wanjura, J.D., Holt, G.A. 2019. Embedded micro-controller software for cotton harvester yield calibration weighing system. Software and User Manual Public Release. None.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: While cotton harvesters have several options for yield monitors; due to the nature of cotton, none of these systems have been able to carry a calibration from one variety to another. This is typically due to the fact that different varieties have different size seeds, and in some instances, especially in stripper harvesting, varying levels of leaf, stick and bur trash during harvesting. The embedded micro-controller software created by authors is for an on-board yield monitor calibration system that was implemented onto a basket style cotton stripper. The system was based upon the use of pressure sensors to measure the weight of the basket by monitoring the static pressure in the hydraulic lift cylinder circuit. To ensure accurate weighing, the system automatically lifted the basket to a target lift height, allowed the basket time to settle, then weighed the contents of the basket. The system was field tested under commercial conditions and found to produce an accurate weighing of the load to within 1-2%. As such the system was proven to be capable of providing an on-board auto-correction to a yield monitor for use in multi-variety field trials.